Guidance please

[Mumof1andacat]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, but here goes. I have worked in admin since leaving college 20 years ago. I have been in my current organisation (nhs) for about 14 years in various roles (some more patient facing than others, i've done people management too. It was awful) I moved jobs last September in to a band 4 role, and this role is good. Lovely team, no real-time pressure with jobs, lots to learn (maybe I could re phrase that as lack of training, typical nhs!), but I could just walk out. I'm done. I have zero interest in working anymore. Covid was tough at the hospital. I can't sit in front of a computer for the next 25-30 years. I'm going to crack up! I'm slightly restricted into what I can do as my dh is already a shift worker, so I can't work shifts too. My son starts year 7 next year. Maybe it's my age (38) I don't know :(

why dont you just start looking around and seeing what other work is available?

Good age to retrain for a second career. 😁 I think your age is a classic reassess and change direction age... You're settled and have built his things but you're ready for something fresh. You've given admin a good long stint and sounds like you've done well. With those skills you'd be a in great position to consider a new direction. Start of a new era. 😊

Built good things

Don't know what I would do. I have no natural talents. I went in to admin because I didn't know what to do when leaving college. I was good academically at school (all gcses at b and c with 3 a levels at 2 D's and B) University wasn't on the radar. Wasn't something people did or do in our family. I wouldn't know what to study. At nearly 40 I still don't know what I want to be

Hello OP, no real advice I am afraid but I am also in the same position (NHS admin long timer!) and also in the same predicament. We have lots of transferable skills I am sure but what to? Would you consider admin in another sector, eg. a charity, council, police force?

Have you thought about company secretary training? Being a company secretary has got all the same skills as admin but much more responsibility and so more money.

Would you consider people management if it was an office manager type position so that you are only managing other admin/office team?

Thank you for your positivity. Bit of a down say today

I have lots of transferable skills. During my time I covered all sorts. Just feel stuck. Think it's time to leave the nhs. I am good at what I do. You get no feedback from management though. I'm pretty easy going but I'm continuously met with people who are so down working for the nhs, rubs off a bit you know.

Would you be able to approach this in your yearly appraisal and see if there is a discussion to be had around further training/secondment perhaps? A lot of NHS trusts support growth or at least are supposed to! How about a medical secretary role?

I've been a ward clerk, admin team leader, medical secretary, specialist admin within a division and currently a data manager in research. I've also covered various other roles in outpatients, pa type roles and anything else as I happened to be sat there! I need to leave the nhs.

There's some great experience you have there and those skills, knowledge and experience you've gained could easily be transferred into lots of other opportunities. Would you like to do more 'hands on' work with patients perhaps so you don't leave the NHS? i guess it's a case of looking at where you feel your skills lie, what 'drives or excites you (as much as work can!!) and using that to look for something. Unfortunately some, or should I say a lot of jobs that are advertised are not always what they seem to be so do your due diligence first before taking a leap.

Have a look at private companies doing NHS work. They’d snap you up with your experience.